The six Pinellas County billboards are a marketing effort by You&Me.WE, a grant-funded program of the local nonprofit Family Resources. The goal is to entice newlywed women into visiting a marriage education Web site, instead of letting their "hate" result in a divorce.

But why IHateHimSoMuch.com? Wouldn't a gentler HeLeavesHisSocksOnTheFloor.com or HeIgnoresMeDuringSportsCenter.com have done the trick?

"The message came from research into how real people think and talk," said Karri Schauffele, marketing outreach supervisor for You&Me.WE. "We did focus groups with women, and this is the way they talk with their friends when they get frustrated, so we wanted to use the same terminology to get their attention and get them to listen."

At IHateHimSoMuch.com, there's an interactive voodoo doll dressed as a groom. The pin sticking out of his ear reads, "Doesn't listen?" and offers advice for getting through to a man. Another in his hand reads, "Want a helping hand?" and supplies ideas for getting a guy to do housework. On the serious tip, there's a relationship assessment quiz, help for abuse victims and links to a relationship video, books and workshop registration.

The site targets women "because they're more likely to seek help in the relationship, and they're also more likely to seek divorce," Schauffele said. "They're very much the decision makers when it comes to this."

Relief is coming for frustrated husbands, too. Around October, watch for billboards advertising EasyEddy.com, which features a wife translator to decode cryptograms like "Fine," "That's okay," and the loud sigh.

Schauffele hopes the humorous approach will help guys open up about their relationships.

"It gets them talking about it without being touchy-feely," she said.

Hate him a little less

Couples and individuals are invited to attend Relationship GPS: Tools to Navigate your Life Together. This free workshop is courtesy of You&Me.WE and is not affiliated with any religious group. For more, visit IHateHimSoMuch.com.

Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Aug. 5 to 26, at New Hope Baptist Church, 2120 19th St. S, St. Petersburg.